Any word on Hawken and if they will have a football program in 2018? The CVC Valley schools appear to have Wickliffe on most of their schedules and the CVC Chagrin schools either have an additional OOC game scheduled or an unknown opponent.

I'm not sure about next year...first time without Coach Walton since 1978. Maybe his son takes over.

About half the 23-24 kids were seniors. The other half of the team was equal parts freshmen, sophomores and juniors. The cupboard is bare. I did talk to some parents and learned they "had to shake the trees" to get kids to come out this year. 1st year freshmen and sophomores probably were not ready for the rigors of varsity football.

I know they did talk to some really good names about the position, but can you pass over a legend's son?

Hawken had a bigger presence this year on the CYO circuit. Saw them multiple times at 7th and 8th grade games. Their people saying "football is looking for a culture change, Come to the open house", etc.

Looks like Hawken simply moved to the Chagrin and Wickliffe moved to the Valley Division. That said, Hawken does not seem to be on Chagrin Fall's schedule for Week 5 where you might expect them to fit in. They also are missing West Geauga in Week 10. Perhaps there is agreement not to play those two schools. OR perhaps schedules for Weeks 5 and 10 will be adjusted soon. It is early.

Looks like Hawken simply moved to the Chagrin and Wickliffe moved to the Valley Division. That said, Hawken does not seem to be on Chagrin Fall's schedule for Week 5 where you might expect them to fit in. They also are missing West Geauga in Week 10. Perhaps there is agreement not to play those two schools. OR perhaps schedules for Weeks 5 and 10 will be adjusted soon. It is early.

Hawken fell in D4 this year, so that's make sense they would be moved to the Chagrin based on enrollment. The Valley will be a much better place competitively for Wickliffe.

I will be STUNNED if they have a varsity team.....any level really.
They MIGHT have 10-12 guys coming back.
I donít think that many.
When I saw them they had 19 guys dressed.
Even if they had say 12 freshman players come in canít see it.
Feel bad for them.
I think Ohio needs 8 man football for schools in situations like this.
Or 6 man or 7 man.
Whatever lol.

Don't feel bad for them, this is a school with nearly 190 boys enrolled. Absolutely no reason they can't get 40 boys out for football at a minimum. They don't need 8 man football. If they market a commitment to a strong and viable football program, they can compete every bit as well as Gilmour or University.

Feel bad for the kids that want to play football but suffer due to the low numbers.
Not the school....they choose to market their product how they wish.
A 16 year old boy that loves to play football has no say in it.

The fact is Hawken is made up primarily with families of means and folks with $s are not letting their sons play football, it is a trend that will continue for many Prep Schools and affluent suburban Districts. I point to Chagrin Falls as example #1. In the early part of this decade they were playing for state titles; kids in their grade school were watching these teams and dreaming of playing for Coach I at this high level. Fast forward to the end of the decade and after some bad press on the barbaric nature of the sport they are struggling to fill the Frosh and JV rosters with players. Kids that want to play football in these types of schools will probably have to go elsewhere to play the sport.

The fact is Hawken is made up primarily with families of means and folks with $s are not letting their sons play football, it is a trend that will continue for many Prep Schools and affluent suburban Districts. I point to Chagrin Falls as example #1. In the early part of this decade they were playing for state titles; kids in their grade school were watching these teams and dreaming of playing for Coach I at this high level. Fast forward to the end of the decade and after some bad press on the barbaric nature of the sport they are struggling to fill the Frosh and JV rosters with players. Kids that want to play football in these types of schools will probably have to go elsewhere to play the sport.

That's a rather large stereotype on two levels. First you imply that rich people don't want their kids playing football. Seems to me Gilmour, University, St. Ignatius, Upper Arlington, Indian Hills, Solon and many other well to do districts/schools are doing just fine. Secondly you imply that non wealthy distrcts/ schools parents lack the insight or knowledge to keep their kids from playing what is allegedly a dangerous game. I think your stereotypes are gross and unfair. If you want to know why Hawkens numbers have dwindled, look at how they have or have not marketed their program. In my experiences, Hawken focuses on their academic achievements very well. What they have not done well in the last five to ten years is showcase their athletic accomplishments. Not to long ago they were a playoff team in football with a state hall of fame coach. Hawken can recover from this but it will take 3-5 years of rebuilding. No matter who they hire as head coach, they have to be prepared for a couple of rebuild years. They better be patient with whoever is next as there will not be a quick turnaround.

Hewitt will not leave Chardon or public school system for a private school. Think retirement system and his status as alumnus where he is and the fact that his program is developed already would make Hawken a non starter. No way he goes to Hawken or anywhere else.

That's a rather large stereotype on two levels. First you imply that rich people don't want their kids playing football. Seems to me Gilmour, University, St. Ignatius, Upper Arlington, Indian Hills, Solon and many other well to do districts/schools are doing just fine. Secondly you imply that non wealthy distrcts/ schools parents lack the insight or knowledge to keep their kids from playing what is allegedly a dangerous game. I think your stereotypes are gross and unfair. If you want to know why Hawkens numbers have dwindled, look at how they have or have not marketed their program. In my experiences, Hawken focuses on their academic achievements very well. What they have not done well in the last five to ten years is showcase their athletic accomplishments. Not to long ago they were a playoff team in football with a state hall of fame coach. Hawken can recover from this but it will take 3-5 years of rebuilding. No matter who they hire as head coach, they have to be prepared for a couple of rebuild years. They better be patient with whoever is next as there will not be a quick turnaround.

Football is the best sport in the world. However, the reality is Football (and wrestling) is a dying sport, or at the very least a shrinking sport and much of it comes from this concussion hysteria, youth laziness, and the overall wussyification of America. CYO teams in NEO are being consolidated to the point where even large schools like Gesu or blended schools like Our Lady of the Lake and St Robert Williams struggle to field teams in every grade. When you used to have 20 to 25 kids per grade now you have 13 or 14, barely enough to field a team. Chagrin Falls couldn't field a freshman HS team for the first time, now they have a reserve squad of freshman and sophomores who don't play varsity and a Varsity squad. My high school also has a Reserve team and Varsity team and we have about 220 boys including some very good athletes. Bottom line is that it is hard to get kids to play football today. Large private and public schools will be able to field a team but smaller schools will continue to struggle.

Donít kid yourself, Hewitt was very much in play, had interview and brought his lovely wife to the interview. It was a six figure offer which Chardon canít match along with all four kids free tuition! Plus Chardon went to pay to play..

Hewitt will not leave Chardon or public school system for a private school. Think retirement system and his status as alumnus where he is and the fact that his program is developed already would make Hawken a non starter. No way he goes to Hawken or anywhere else.

$100,000/yr plus free tuition for kids. Throw in the fact that he's tired of certain administrators and you know why Hawken talked to him.

I was doing some CVC research and noticed that Hawken is seemingly removed themselves from football for this season. What a strange turn of events. Anybody have any info on how that worked and why it went down? They had previously been playing in the "upper" division, the Chagrin division with mostly DIII and DIV teams. Hawken (and Wickliffe) are DV schools right in between the bigger schools and the "lower" division of the Valley (DV, DVI, and DVII).

Orange, Perry, Beachwood, and Geneva have been removed from this schedule and replaced by Brooklyn, Crestline, Lutheran East, and Western Reserve Academy.

I was doing some CVC research and noticed that Hawken is seemingly removed themselves from football for this season. What a strange turn of events. Anybody have any info on how that worked and why it went down? They had previously been playing in the "upper" division, the Chagrin division with mostly DIII and DIV teams. Hawken (and Wickliffe) are DV schools right in between the bigger schools and the "lower" division of the Valley (DV, DVI, and DVII).

Orange, Perry, Beachwood, and Geneva have been removed from this schedule and replaced by Brooklyn, Crestline, Lutheran East, and Western Reserve Academy.

My guess would be is that enrollment at Hawken is larger than Wickliffe, so Wickliffe rightfully should be playing in the Valley Division. Assuming enrollment is the primary driver for division placement in CVC football. Since football numbers are a struggle at Hawken, they and the Chagrin division were burdened with the task of filling an independent schedule.

I was doing some CVC research and noticed that Hawken is seemingly removed themselves from football for this season. What a strange turn of events. Anybody have any info on how that worked and why it went down? They had previously been playing in the "upper" division, the Chagrin division with mostly DIII and DIV teams. Hawken (and Wickliffe) are DV schools right in between the bigger schools and the "lower" division of the Valley (DV, DVI, and DVII).

Orange, Perry, Beachwood, and Geneva have been removed from this schedule and replaced by Brooklyn, Crestline, Lutheran East, and Western Reserve Academy.

See my December 28 post on this thread.

No idea how many players Hawken has but if it is more than 20 Iíd be surprised.

There are MANY programs hanging by a thread with extremely low numbers.

I saw Eastlake North scrimmage Gilmour and Tallmadge the other night.
GA had 18 guys dressed grades 9-12.
Granted they had 10 guys in shorts to keep em healthy but the other teams had way more.